Chapter 1

Even as I lay dying, I could not understand why He Peizhi—a man who had once honored his elders and protected his younger siblings—would cast aside his own flesh and blood for a woman.

Disaster had struck our family again and again. Some died; others were maimed. I took my surviving second uncle and younger brother to the capital to find him.

I never imagined he would become entangled with Bai Yuanqing again, much less let her torture his own sister merely to vent her anger.

I was dragged before Bai Yuanqing and pinned hard against the ground, my face smeared with mud and my hair hanging loose.

Supported by a maid, Bai Yuanqing approached and ground my head beneath her foot. Her face twisted as she said, “He Nian, you’re finally in my hands. From the moment I was violated, I swore I would make you beg for death and be denied even that.”

Whenever I struggled, someone brought a thick wooden club more than a meter long crashing into my abdomen.

A shriek tore from my throat. I tried to curl away and sobbed, “Brother, Nian Nian hurts…”

The club slammed down again.

“Brother, save Nian Nian.”

“Brother…” Curled on the floor, I called helplessly for He Peizhi. At last my strength failed, and bright red blood spilled from my mouth.

“I might as well tell you the truth. Pei knew long ago that you had come to the capital, but he refused to see you. He told me to deal with you as I pleased.”

“Did you know? Pei was the one who redeemed me from the brothel. He is going to make me his wife, and this”—she stroked her slightly swollen belly—“is our unborn child.”

“He Nian, you must admit that your entire family matters less to him than I do. For me, he can abandon every one of you. He will even stand aside while I scheme against your family.”

Only then did I understand that He Peizhi had hated me and the rest of the family all along. He had never let Bai Yuanqing go. In his eyes, we were the ones who had kept them apart.

Yet had Bai Yuanqing not been so vicious, had she not tried to make me die in her place, how could she have reaped what she sowed and ended up taken by bandits?

I looked at her smug face and threw myself at her, determined to drag her down to hell with me.

Caught off guard, Bai Yuanqing fell. Blood soon spread beneath her. My own mouth full of blood, I laughed wildly.

“A whore whose painted lips have been tasted by ten thousand men—who can say whether the bastard in your belly is even He Peizhi’s?”

“He Nian!” Bai Yuanqing snarled through clenched teeth, struck at her sorest point.

Then she clutched her stomach and wailed in agony. “Pei, it hurts! Our child…”

“Qingqing, don’t be afraid. I’m here.” He Peizhi rushed up from behind me and gathered her into his arms, his eyes bloodshot with rage. He gave me the look one gave a corpse, then carried Bai Yuanqing away.

The moment the physician left, heart-rending sobs erupted from the room. Maddened by the loss of her child, Bai Yuanqing ordered, “Beat that bitch to death and throw her body to the wild dogs.”

“Wait.” He Peizhi’s icy voice followed.

“Pei, our child…” Bai Yuanqing’s voice shot up in anger.

“Qingqing, I know you’re grieving. So am I. But another death here would be unwise, and I will not have her blood offend your eyes. Let the servants take her elsewhere and dispose of her.”

For one foolish instant, I thought he had found his conscience. In truth, he merely feared that my blood would dirty her eyes—and his home.

As they dragged me away, I used the last of my strength to shout toward him, “He Peizhi, I curse you to die a wretched death! May your bloodline end with you, and may you find no peace even after death!”

His roar came at once. “Gag her!”

After several slaps, a filthy rag was stuffed into my mouth.

In a narrow alley, the heavy clubs fell again. Agony drilled through me with every blow. Just as my body began to go numb, I heard the crack of breaking bone.

I deliberately held my breath. Soon a maid’s trembling voice reached me.

“I think she fainted.”

“She didn’t faint. She’s dead…”

After a long while, heavy footsteps approached. Someone asked, “What did His Lordship say?”

“Throw her in the paupers’ graveyard.” Even through the fog in my mind, I recognized the voice of He Peizhi’s attendant.

Pain stabbed through my heart. It was as though the brother who had once shielded me existed only in a false memory.

And so they carelessly dumped me among the dead, though a faint breath still remained in my body.

When I woke, my lower back had been shattered. Blood spread beneath me as I lay dying in a pool of it.

Rain poured from the sky. I dared not move amid the reeking corpses, for the smallest motion multiplied my pain tenfold.

After what felt like an eternity, a child’s voice rang out. Ah Jing stumbled toward me, choking on his tears. “Sister…”

“Nian Nian…” My second uncle, lame in one leg, hurried behind him.

“Sister, please don’t sleep. Hold on. Second Uncle and I will take you to a physician.” His eyes were scarlet as he bent to lift me onto his back.

I had endured too long even to shake my head. In a fading voice, I said, “Ah Jing, I’m going to join Mother and Father. Leave with Second Uncle at once, and never return to Qingshan Village. That madwoman Bai Yuanqing won’t spare you. For her sake, He Peizhi abandoned his own family. He stood by and watched them beat me to death.”

Tears mingled with blood at the corners of my eyes. I could feel the warmth draining swiftly from my body.

“Ah Jing, grow up strong. You and Second Uncle must protect each other. Don’t let our family have died for nothing.” I stroked his hair, and my hand slowly fell.

As my consciousness faded, one thought remained: had all the sacrifices our family had made over the years truly been worth it?